What is the state of sustainable human development (SHD) and governance in Southern Sudan? This paper, published in Public Administration and Development, presents a profile of the governance systems and circumstances that prevail in the rebel-held areas. The development role of the main governance actors are examined and capacity building needs are described. Effective post-crisis administration and development calls for much greater commitment of resources from the major powers than has been forthcoming to date.
Almost 50 years of continuous civil warfare in the Southern Sudan has badly eroded social and economic development and destroyed most of the physical and the entire institutional infrastructure. Despite the extreme operational difficulties and resource constraints facing the leadership of the Sudanese People’s Liberation Movement (SPLM), it has begun to take steps towards the establishment of a civil administration in Southern Sudan. Nevertheless, the extent of devastation means that the governance picture is necessarily bleak.
- Responsibility for healthcare and education is shouldered almost entirely by civil society and there are marked shortages in facilities, equipment and qualified personnel. There is little education beyond primary school.
- For most people, income and livelihoods are based on subsistence agriculture, pastoral and fishing activities. The poor condition of roads and infrastructure limits commercial trading activity and restricts opportunities for the exploitation of natural resources.
- The vast majority of civil administrators are ex-army officers authorised to collect a wide variety of taxes in lieu of pay. There are no systems of financial management and little or no formalisation of rules and procedures.
- The legal system incorporates important elements of traditional or customary law and practice and the vast majority of police and prison personnel are self-financing ex-army officers and enlisted men.
- There is no central payments authority, no central bank, no commercial banks and none of the components of the institutional apparatus necessary for the exercise of macroeconomic management.
Until very recently, the energies of the SPLM have been devoted entirely to waging the liberation struggle and all available human and financial resources have been directed to this end. Financial resources are likely to remain in short supply in the short to medium term, hence the Southern Sudanese dependence on international development assistance will continue for years to come. Good governance depends on public confidence and can be strengthened in a number of areas:
- The development and implementation of merit-based appointment procedures and the calculation of salary scales would undermine the perception that public officials are guided by self-interest, allegiances and corruption.
- The establishment of transparent systems of financial control at all levels and in the arms of civil administration, the judiciary, the police and prison services.
- Capacity building in primary, secondary and vocational education and primary health care is crucial to the empowerment of citizens and their ability to participate in governance and decision-making and to make the most of opportunities afforded to them.
- Public broadcasting media must be established that can be used for a wide range of educational purposes.
- Greater commitment of resources from major powers than has been forthcoming to date.
